Thread cutter



Apri] 1, 1930. T. F. NUMANN 1,752,611

THREAD CUTTER Filed April 27, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l T. F. NAUMANN YTHREAD CUTTER:

April 1, 1930.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27, 1929` Mwe] April 1, 1930. T. F. NAUMANN 1,752,611

THREAD CUTTER Filed April 27, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. l,1930 UNiTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE THEODORE F. NAUMANN, OLT' DAWTUCKET,RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO SEEKONK LACE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF RHODEISLAND THREAD CUTTER Application led April 27,

tate the propulsion andreciprocation of the machine; to provide meansfor elevating the blades and for maintaining the same in elevatedposition while the machine is inactive; and to attain the above ends ina structure of an extreme compactness and portability,

facile to operate, and simple and inexpensive to construct.

To the above ends, essentially my invention consists in such parts andin such combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my thread cutting machine showing partsthereof brok-en away in various planes,

Figure 2, a partial section of the same on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a side elevation of the same, partially fragmentary,

Figure 4, a fragmentary `section on line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5, a perspective view of one of the blades and its guardattachedto the end of a supporting arm,

Figure 6, a detailed viewA of one of the blades disassembled, and

Figures 7, 8 and 9, side elevations of the parts shown in Figure 5indicating the positions shown assumed by the guard during the variousstages of the thread cutting operation.

Like reference characters indicate' `like parts throughout the views.

The framework of my device includes substantially oblong side walls orplates 12 connected at their upper corners by cross bars 14; and atpoints below the latter, by cross bars 15. Journaled upon laterallyprojecting studs 19 in the .lower earners of 'the-side 192e. serial No.358,655.

plates are wheels or rollers 20 extending slightly below the lower edgesof the plates. The described frame is longitudinally reciprocated, inthis instance manually, by a detachable handle pivotally engaging one orthe other of the cross bars 14. The handle comprises a shaft 22, ahandlebar 23 near vits outer end, and a fork comprising diverging flatmetal arms 24 fixed to the inner end of the shaft and provided with openupwardly directed slots 26 near their inner-extremities to looselyreceive the cross bar.

Pivoted to each of the rods 15 is a brush frame comprising twointerspaced Vflat metallic arms 28. The pivoted end of each arm isformed by an open loop BO'closed by abolt 32 connecting the free end 34of the loop with the rod through perforations not shown. The arms havedownwardly bent end portions fixed by screws 36 to the outer face of across piece or brush back 37 in which are fixed downwardly directedtufts of bristles 38. The arms 28 are detachable, in cases where a brushis not required, by removing the bolts 82.

A pivot shaft 40 has its ends fixed in the side walls-12, midway theirends in a plane below the cross bars 15. It is provided at its endsad'acent the walls with spacing collars 43 at oth sides of twooppo'sitely disposed series of depending downwardly inclined bladecarrying arms 48 and 49 respectively, loosely pivoted upon thel shaft.The individual arms of one series alternatewith the individual armsofthe other series, and the arms-of both series are alike in `detailedconstruction.

In detail each of arms 48 and-49 comprises an innersection 5() and outersection 5-1. At the inner end of each arm section 50 isan opening 53through which loosely passes the shaft 40. Surrounding the opening, inVthis instance, are spacing hubs 54 upon both sides of the section.Continuous withthe inner ends of the arm sections 50 are longitudinallydirected extensions or lingers 56. The outer end of the section 50-iscurved and, as shown in Figure 4, is provided `with a lateralcircular recessed or countersunk 'pertion 58. The inner and01E-enchanter man section 61 is also curved and provided with a lateralcircularly recessed or countersunlr portion 60 abutting against theportion 58 of the arm section 50. The arm portions 58 and 60 are eachprovided with a central threaded perforation 62 registering with eachother through which passes the threaded shank 6-1 of a clamping screw 65having a head 66. By means of this screw the arm sections 50 and 51 maybe angularly adjusted relatively to each other.

Carried by thn outer en-d of each arm 51 is a flat substantially acuteangular blade 68 having a horizontally disposed blunt bearing edge 69upon the lower margin with a slight upward bevel or inclination 70 atits free end or point. The upper margin of the blade has a cutting edge71 upwardly inclined from the blade point to a notched portion 72, nearits inner end, also provided with a cutting edge 78, and a shoulderportion 74 adjacent the notched portion provided with a vertical cuttingedge 75 continuous with the other cutting edges. The blade has anupwardly inclined attaching lug 76 at its inner endV provided with anopening 77, and iits in an inclined lateral recess 7 8 in the outer endof the arm section 51, and is retained therein by a 'clamping screw 7 9passing through the opening r r.

Cooperating with each blade is a forwardly directed resilient presserarm represented in a general way by the reference numeral 80 formed froma thin strip of resilient material. The inner end 81 of the stripconstitutes an attaching portion resting upon the upper edge of the armsection 51, near its free end, and is fixed thereto by a screw 82passing through a perforation, not shown. The remainder of the stripforms a horizontally disposed substantially elliptical arm comprising anarched upper portion 84, a curved end portion 85, and an arcuate lowerportion 86 whose detached free end 87 is upwardly inclined andterminates adjacent the arm section 51. A central longitudinal slot 89in the portions 85, 86 and 87 of the presser arm receives the cuttingportion of the blade, so that the bifurcated portions of the presser armslidably embrace the sides of the blade at points even below the cuttingedge of the latter.

The blade carrying arms 48 and 49 are individually supported at theirouter ends by the bearing edges 69 of the blades which slide, under theinfluence of gravity, in contact with the fabric 90 to be treated, whichis clamped in any convenient manner to a floor, table, platform, or thelike 91.

Means for maintaining the blades in elevated or inoperative positionwhen the machine is not in operation consists of two similar oblongcooperating plates 93, extending across the machine transverselydiverging from each other in a downward direction.

Each plate has inwardly directed rectangularly disposed attaching lugsupon its ends adjacent its upper lateral edge provided with holes 97through which the shaft L10 loosely passes. In this case the plates areassisted in maintaining a normally transversely inclined or distendedposition by retractil@ springs 98 attached at their inner ends, as at99, to portions oil' the plates adjacent their lower lateral edges, andattached at their opposite ends to the rods 14s. This form of springmeans is not exclusive, and may be entirely dispensed with if desired.When the tensioning means are employed stop pins 100 in the end wallsprojecting into contact with the plates may be used. rfhe plates arecompressible to parallel vertical positions, as shown in Figure 3, by arigid clamping yoke 102 whose legs 103, as the yoke is depressed overthe plates, cause the lower lateral edges of the latter to move in anare against the free end portions 5G of the arms 18 and 49 which tiltthe latter and elevate the blades G8 into inoperative position.

To utilize the machine the operator applies the handle to either of therods 14 and pushes or reciprocates the machine in any preferreddirection over the fabric 90 supported with its superliuous threadsexposed. The positions of the machine parts during operation 9 are asshown in Figures 1 and 2. The blades G8 slide upon their bearing edges69 over the fabric 90 operating to sever the loops, binding threads,bridge threads, or floating threads previously elevated more or less bythe brush elements 38 positioned in advance oi the blades. The cuttingaction of a blade upon a typical thread 104 is graphically shown in thelast three figures of the drawinvs.

In Figure 7 the thread loop 104 has reached in its travel the presserarm portion 85 without severance, although often the severance hasalready occurred. In Figure 8 the unusually tough thread 104 has reacheda point where it is increasingly pressed against the blade edge 71 bythe presser arm portion 8G which has been forced upwardly by the thread.This pressure would naturally sever any thread. Assuming the latter tosurvive, however, it reaches finally the position shown in Figure 9against the vertical cutting edge 75, where severance is invariable, andprevents tearing of the textile fabric 90 which otherwise would result.

I claim:

1. A portable self-contained apparatus for cutting bridge threads,embodying a frame mounted for longitudinal reciprocation com prisingsides and cross bars, a pivot shaft supported in the sides,nonfrictional means for supporting the sides, a plurality of forwardlydirected arms upon the shaft, rearwardly directed arms upon the shaft,and lonlas) A shaft supported in the frame,

gitudinally disposed upright cutting blades fixed to the ends of all thearms.

2. A selfcontained apparatus for cutting bridge threads, a frame adaptedto be longitudinally reciprocated comprising sides and cross bars,wheels supporting the sides, a shaft fixed at its ends in intermediateportions of the sides, forwardly directed depending arms pivotallyengaged at their inner ends to the shaft, rearwardly directed dependingarms pivotally engaged at their inner ends to the shaft, the severalforwardly directed arms alternating with the several rearwardly directedarms, and longitudinally disposed upright cutting blades supporting theouter ends of all the arms.

3. In an apparatus for cutting bridge threads, a frame adapted to belongitudinally reciprocated, wheels supporting the frame, a transversepivot shaft carried by the frame, arms comprising sections attached attheir inner ends to the shaft, and sections pivotally connected at theirinner ends to the outer ends of the first sections, and longitudinally 1disposed upright cutting blades upon the outer ends of the secondsections.

4. In an apparatus for cutting bridge threads, a frame adapted to belongitudinally reciprocated, supporting` wheels for the frame, a shaftfixed in the frame transversely thereof, a plurality of longitudinallydisposed arms comprising inner sections provided with openings throughwhich the shaft loosely passes, and outer sections overlapping the freeends of the inner sections, clamping screws connecting the overlappingends of both sections, and longitudinally disposed upright cuttingblades upon the outer end of the outer sections.

5. In an apparatus foi` cutting bridge threads, a frame adapted to belongitudinally reciprocated, a transversely disposed pivotlongitudinally disposed arms engaged at their inner ends with the shaft,and blades attached at their inner ends to the outer ends of the armscomprising horizontal blunt bearing edges upon their lower margins andupwardly inclined at their outer ends, inwardly directed upwardlyinclined cutting edges upon their upf per margins, and vertical cuttingedges upon their upper' margins at the inner ends of the inclinedportions.

6. An apparatus for cutting bridge threads, embodying a frame comprisingsides and cross bars, a transverse pivot shaft mounted in intermediateportions of the sides, nonfrictional means for supporting the sides, aplurality of parallel arms attached at their inner ends to the shaft andprovided in their outer ends with lateral recesses, cutting blades,attaching lugs integral with the inner ends of the blades provided withopenings and seated in the recesses, and screws in the arms passingthrough the openings clined cutting edges, and yielding means carried bythe arms for pressing threadsdownward'ly against the cutting edge of theblades.

8. In an apparatus for cutting bridge threads, a frame, a transversepivot shaft mounted in the frame, supporting wheels upon the frame, aplurality of forwardly directed blade carrying arms'mounted `upon theshaft, blades upon the free ends `of lthe arms comprisingfblunt bearingedges upon their lower margins and inclined cutting edges upon theirupper margins, and curved resilient presser arms supported atftheir endsby the first arms and provided with longitudinally disposed slots intowhich .the cutting edges are received.

9. In an apparatus for cutting bridge threads, sides, cross bars in theupper portions of the sides, a transverse pivot shaft in the wallscentrally thereof in a plane below the cross bars, wheels pivotallyattached to the lower corners of the sides, series of longi- .f

tudinally disposed arms supported at their inner ends by the shaft,cutting blades fixed upon the outer ends of the shaft, longitudinallydisposed arms pivotally supported at their inner ends to the cross bars,a cross piece fixed to the outer ends of the last mentioned arms inadvance of the blades and downwardly directed bristles in the crosspiece.

10. In an apparatus for cutting bridge threads, sides, 4cross bars inthe upper portions of the sides, a transverse pivot shaft in the wallscentrally thereof below the cross bars, wheels upon the lower portionsof the sides, series of longitudinally disposed arms pivoted at theirinner ends upon the shaft, cutting blades upon the outer ends of thearms, and a handle shaft provided with an open upwardly directed slotnear its inner End adapted to loosely receive one of the cross ars.

l1. In an apparatus for cutting bridge threads, a frame, wheelssupporting the frame, a fixed shaft in an intermediate portion of theframe disposed transversely thereof, series of oppositely directedlongitudinally disposed arms normally downwardly inclined outwardlyloosely pivoted at their inner ends upon the shaft, longitudinaleXtensions upon the inner ends of the arms, the extensions of one armseries diverging relatively to the corresponding extensions of the otherarm series, two oblong cooperating plates above the shaft normallyparallel with each other and with the shaft and transversely divergingfrom each other in a down- Cl n ward direction, attaching lugs upon theends of the plates provided with holes through which the shaft looselypasses, and a clamping oke downwardly slidable upon the plates to orcethe plates into depressing contact with the extensions of the arms.

12. A portable self-contained apparatus 4for cutting bridge threads,comprising a frame, means for longitudinally reciprocating the saine, apivot shaft carried by the frame transversely thereof, Wheels supportingsaid frame, radially movable arms attached at their inner ends to thesaid shaft, and cutting blades fixed to the outer ends of said arms.

13. A portable self-contained apparatus for cutting bridge threads,embodying a frame, a pivot shaft carried by the frame, arms attached attheir inner ends to the said shaft, means for longitudinallyreciprocating said frame, and cutting means attached to the other endsof said arms and supporting the free ends thereof.

In testimony whereof I have aiiXed my signature.

'IHEODORE F. NAUMANN.

